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Coffman Cove Road

Contact: Phil Sammon 907-228-6201

Tongass National Forest, Alaska, June 18, 2008- PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND, Alaska - The Forest Service is working with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and a number of other federal and state agencies to address problems associated with lower-than-normal pH levels in several streams near Sweetwater Lake along a 3-1/2-mile stretch of the Coffman Cove Road Project.

The road project is being administered by the Western Federal Lands Highway Division (WFLHD) of the FHWA. They are currently making decisions about how to proceed with the remaining portions of the project, including the paving.

The acidity of water is measured by pH, with low numbers indicating much greater acidity in the water. Water draining down into the streams from this portion of the road project is creating stream pH levels that are in violation of Alaska Water Quality Standards. State of Alaska and Federal Agencies are working together to determine the most effective and expedient way to correct the situation and re-establish acceptable water conditions.

Beginning in May 2007 water samples down stream from the section of the road closest to the Forest Service cabin on Sweetwater Lake began to show decreases in the pH readings, with levels ranging as low as 2.5 in some of the 60 water samples taken. This indicates that the pH levels have dropped as a result of the road construction. There are six affected streams over which the road crosses along this 3.5 mile stretch. Normal pH levels in Southeast Alaska can range from near 4.5 to 7.0.

This drop in pH has caused a significant increase in dissolved metals in the steams, including iron and copper. In some of the streams, obvious discoloration can be seen in the from or orange and brownish deposits on the rocks. The increased acid levels are causing the copper and iron from the rocks in the road bed to dissolve.

Fish and insects in the affected streams are being displaced or killed. Sampling has not detected levels of metals that pose a threat to human health so far. Further testing on a wider scale is being planned to help identify the range of solutions to the situation. The agencies will also study ways to mitigate the damage to streams and aquatic life.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been notified and is working closely with FHWA and the Forest Service in determining the next steps in the regulatory process. Other state and federal agencies, including Alaska Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Natural Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, and the Corps of Engineers, have been consulted and are playing a role in identifying further testing and planning for the response to acid and metal levels in the impacted streams.

The Forest Service will develop and implement a Community Relations Plan, in consultation with the other state and federal agencies, in their response to the project. The Community Relations Plan will include public meetings, information resource locations, possibly web-based information, and a means for the public to ask questions and voice concerns.

The agencies will establish a schedule for additional testing and the development of alternatives to respond to the situation. Possible response actions range from neutralizing the acid with limestone from nearby deposits on Prince of Wales Island (POW); to the complete removal and replacement of the entire 3 ½ miles of road bed sub-surface materials that are suspected of creating the high acid levels.
All of the agencies involved understand the economic and community importance of the road project to all of the communities on POW. We are all working together to develop the testing and assessment of the area, and make the determination of how to best protect, sustain, and restore natural resources, maintain healthy fish habitat in the area surrounding Sweetwater Lake, and improve the communities’ quality of life.

The Forest Service will pass along information about this important project as soon as it is available.